X-ray detectors are critical to healthcare diagnostics, cancer therapy and homeland security, with many potential uses limited by system cost and/or detector dimensions. Current X-ray detector ...sensitivities are limited by the bulk X-ray attenuation of the materials and consequently necessitate thick crystals (~1 mm-1 cm), resulting in rigid structures, high operational voltages and high cost. Here we present a disruptive, flexible, low cost, broadband, and high sensitivity direct X-ray transduction technology produced by embedding high atomic number bismuth oxide nanoparticles in an organic bulk heterojunction. These hybrid detectors demonstrate sensitivities of 1712 µC mGy
cm
for "soft" X-rays and ~30 and 58 µC mGy
cm
under 6 and 15 MV "hard" X-rays generated from a medical linear accelerator; strongly competing with the current solid state detectors, all achieved at low bias voltages (-10 V) and low power, enabling detector operation powered by coin cell batteries.
► BC surface mass concentration exhibited diurnal variation associated with local meteorology. ► Daytime mean BC surface mass concentration was 11μgm−3. ► Mean BC-AOD estimated in OPAC at 0.5μm was ...0.11. ► Mean shortwave BC radiative forcing at the TOA was +0.94Wm−2. ► BC emissions from IGP and biofuel and fossil fuel combustion contributed majorly to BC loading.
We carried out an analysis of black carbon (BC) surface mass concentration, its radiative effects, and sources of origin in an urban atmosphere in east India, during winter season, through ground-based measurements and application of modelling tools. BC surface mass concentration exhibited diurnal variation with their higher values and a larger variability during evening to early morning hours than during daytime (1100–1600h, Local Time, LT) hours. Daytime mean surface BC mass concentration and BC mass fraction in total aerosol (size range 0.23–20μm) and in submicronic aerosol (size range 0.23–1μm) during the study period, corresponding to the well-mixed atmospheric layer were 11μgm−3, 3–10%, and 9–16% respectively. The mean BC optical depth (BC-AOD) and BC-AOD fraction at 0.5μm were estimated in an optical model as 0.11 and 13% respectively. Mean shortwave aerosol radiative forcing due to BC at top-of-atmosphere (TOA) during the study period was found to be +0.94Wm−2, which is about 59% the global mean radiative forcing due to carbon-dioxide gases. Estimates from BC simulations in a general circulation model showed BC surface concentration and BC optical depth in east India are primarily attributed to emissions from biofuel and fossil fuel combustion. Most of BC surface concentration (95%) and BC optical depth (60%) are contributed by emissions arising from the Indo-Gangetic plain (IGP) but there is a significant influence to BC columnar loading through elevated transport channels attributed mainly to emissions from open biomass burning from distant regions outside IGP.
Cruise missiles are fast-moving, low-altitude guided bombs that travel petpendicular to the ground. This kind cf missile is propelled by a turbefan engine since it needs to have a low specific fuel ...consumption (SFC) to help it cover greater distances. The air inlet to the engine must be appropriately let in because the power plant is an air-breathing engine and the path is practically terrain-hugging. The cficiency cf a jet engine as a whole depends heavily on the performance cf its inlets. Turbulent kinetic energy, turbulent dissipation rate, turbulent intensity, dynamic pressure, static pressure, absolute pressure, strain rate, skin friction, wall shear, local aerodynamic interface plane and tangential velocity were discovered to be the significant characteristics during the design cf the inlet. The mass jlow in the intake is typically effected by them. Understanding the relationships between the aforementioned parameters is important when designing the air intake. The corrected mass jlow rate is approximately 30% higher at pressure ratio (PR)=0.5 than it is at PR=0.9. Wall shear, skin friction, pressure, turbulence intensity and turbulent kinetic energy are the main contributors. These account for 44.4%> cf the dataset's variation. With no design modifications, the identical intake might be used for higher jlow rates (20%> higher than the actual speefied value).
We examined the variability of aerosols during winter and summer months in an urban environment in eastern India, under contrasting meteorological conditions and air-mass pathways. Hourly mean black ...carbon (BC) and submicron aerosol (aerosol-submic) surface concentrations showed large diurnal variability (BC: 13–73μgm−3; aerosol-submic: 157–585μgm−3) during the winter month. However, these concentrations during the summer month exhibited low variability (BC: 2–6μgm−3; aerosol-submic: 19–37μgm−3). Values of monthly mean and daytime monthly mean surface BC (aerosol-submic) mass concentrations were 36 (373)μgm−3 and 12 (195)μgm−3 respectively during the winter month compared to their values being only 4 (28)μgm−3 and 5 (38)μgm−3 respectively, during the summer month. Variability in AOD at 0.5μm (AOD0.5) between winter (0.82) and summer (0.71) was much lower than variability in surface concentrations between the two seasons. Wintertime mean angstrom exponent (AE, 0.34–0.5μm) was 1.33 compared to that of 0.71 during summer, thereby indicating relatively predominant contribution from submicron aerosols to columnar loading during winter, in contrast to that from coarser aerosols during summer. Vertical profile of aerosol extinction coefficient revealed that 76% of the total extinction was within 0.5km during winter, whereas 72% was between 1 and 5km above surface during summer. High AOD during summer was due to elevated aerosol layer attributed to uplifting of surface aerosols, contribution from air mass originating in far-off regions at higher heights, and aerosols arising from open biomass burning emissions in India. Higher aerosol concentration during winter than during summer month in an urban environment in east India was mostly due to increased contribution from surface BC and submicron aerosol particles arising from wintertime anthropogenic activities, confinement of aerosols due to existing meteorological conditions, and contribution from air-mass mostly originating in the Indo-Gangetic plain (IGP) at the surface during winter, compared to those originating in the Bay of Bengal (BoB) during summer.
•Wintertime BC and aerosol-submic concentrations exhibited diurnal variability.•Summer daytime mean BC and aerosol-submic were 2 and 5 times lower than during winter.•Wintertime mean AOD0.5 was only 1.15 times higher than summertime mean AOD0.5.•Wintertime mean angstrom exponent was 1.33 compared to that during summertime being 0.71.•Surface layer in winter and elevated layer in summer contributed mostly to total extinction.
We analysed aerosol optical and physical properties in an urban environment (Kolkata) during winter monsoon pollution transport from nearby and far-off regions. Prevailing meteorological conditions, ...viz. low temperature and wind speed, and a strong downdraft of air mass, indicated weak dispersion and inhibition of vertical mixing of aerosols. Spectral features of WinMon aerosol optical depth (AOD) showed larger variability (0.68–1.13) in monthly mean AOD at short-wavelength (SW) channels (0.34–0.5 μm) compared to that (0.28–0.37) at long-wavelength (LW) channels (0.87–1.02 μm), thereby indicating sensitivity of WinMon AOD to fine aerosol constituents and the predominant contribution from fine aerosol constituents to WinMon AOD. WinMon AOD at 0.5 μm (AOD ₀. ₅) and Angstrom parameter ( α) were 0.68–0.82 and 1.14–1.32, respectively, with their highest value in December. Consistent with inference from spectral features of AOD, surface aerosol loading was primarily constituted of fine aerosols (size 0.23–3 μm) which was 60–70 % of aerosol 10- μm (size 0.23–10 μm) concentration. Three distinct modes of aerosol distribution were obtained, with the highest WinMon concentration at a mass median diameter (MMD) of 0.3 μm during December, thereby indicating characteristics of primary contribution related to anthropogenic pollutants that were inferred to be mostly due to contribution from air mass originating in nearby region having predominant emissions from biofuel and fossil fuel combustion. A relatively higher contribution from aerosols in the upper atmospheric layers than at the surface to WinMon AOD was inferred during February compared to other months and was attributed to predominant contribution from open burning emissions arising from nearby and far-off regions. A comparison of ground-based measurements with Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data showed an underestimation of MODIS AOD and α values for most of the days. Discrepancy in relative distribution of fine and coarse mode of MODIS AOD was also inferred.
Over the past two decades, improvements in both the safety of anaesthetic agents and the techniques of operative dentistry have resulted in the popularity of "day-case anaesthesia". The aim of this ...study was to evaluate the stress felt by parents of children undergoing dental treatment. The study also aimed to compare the stress felt by parents of children undergoing chairside treatment to the stress felt by parents of children who received their treatment under general anaesthesia.
Study Design: Stress among parents was assessed subjectively using the Modified Dental Anxiety Stress (MDAS) questionnaire and objectively using a pulse oximeter to record the heart rate. The sample comprised of 60 parents of children aged between 4 and 7 years who were divided into three groups. Group A comprised of 20 sets of parents of children who underwent complete dental treatment without any pharmacological behaviour management. Group B comprised of 20 sets of parents of children who were treated at the dental chair with N2O used as pharmacological behaviour management. Group C comprised of 20 sets of parents of children who underwent dental rehabilitation under general anaesthesia. Objective signs were recorded preoperatively, during the procedure and post-operatively.
Dental treatment is a stressful experience for a parent. The introduction of a pharmacological method of behaviour management seems to significantly increase the stress felt by the parent.
A significant increase in heart rate was observed among parents whose children were under treatment.
Aim
To study the discomfort and fear associated with maxillary infiltration injections when using a combination of external cold and a commercially available vibrating device.
Methodology
A total of ...60 children aged 7 years old participated in this split mouth randomised crossover study. The control intervention comprised of the administration of 1.8 ml of 2% lidocaine with 1:100,000 adrenaline using a 24 mm 30 gauge needle, while the test intervention used external cold and a commercially available vibrating device in addition to the control protocol. The heart rate of the child at the time of injection was used as an objective measure and the Wong–Baker pain scale was used as a subjective measure of the child’s discomfort. The face, limbs, arms, cry and consolability (FLACC) scale was used to record the child’s pain as perceived by the dentist.
Results
Children reported a significantly lower Wong–Baker score and the operators observed a significantly lower heart rate and FLACC scores in the test visit than the control visit.
Conclusions
Combining external cold with vibrating devices might be effective in reducing discomfort and fear in children undergoing infiltration dental analgesia.
Clinical trials Identifier
NCT02675387.
Aim
To conduct a meta‐analysis on the accuracy of electronic apex locators (EALs) in determining working length in human primary teeth.
Methodology
An electronic literature search was conducted using ...a combination of the terms ‘primary teeth’, ‘root canal length’ and ‘electronic apex locators’. Additional eligible articles were identified using a manual search. The full texts of identified articles were screened according to inclusion criteria.
Results
Overall, 19 studies met the inclusion criteria and were subjected to further data extraction. Meta‐analysis of studies that reported mean lengths and difference in mean lengths between EAL and actual root canal length (ARCL) revealed a significant difference (P = 0.015) between the two readings whilst those studies that evaluated intraclass correlation (ICC) suggested a high correlation (P < 0.0001) between the EAL and ARCL readings. A subgroup analysis revealed that the presence of root resorption did not affect the accuracy of EALs (P = 0.567).
Conclusion
Electronic apex locators offer an acceptable level of accuracy in the measurement of root canal length in primary teeth.
p53 is the most frequently mutated tumor-suppressor gene in human cancers. Unlike other tumor-suppressor genes, p53 mutations mainly occur as missense mutations within the DNA-binding domain, leading ...to the expression of full-length mutant p53 protein. Mutant p53 proteins not only lose their tumor-suppressor function, but may also gain new oncogenic functions and promote tumorigenesis. Here, we showed that silencing of endogenous p53-R273H contact mutant, but not p53-R175H conformational mutant, reduced AKT phosphorylation, induced BCL2-modifying factor (BMF) expression, sensitized BIM dissociation from BCL-XL and induced mitochondria-dependent apoptosis in cancer cells. Importantly, cancer cells harboring endogenous p53-R273H mutant were also found to be inherently resistant to anoikis and lack BMF induction following culture in suspension. Underlying these activities is the ability of p53-R273H mutant to suppress BMF expression that is dependent on constitutively active PI3K/AKT signaling. Collectively, these findings suggest that p53-R273H can specifically drive AKT signaling and suppress BMF expression, resulting in enhanced cell survivability and anoikis resistance. These findings open the possibility that blocking of PI3K/AKT will have therapeutic benefit in mutant p53-R273H expressing cancers.
Emerging contaminants, such as antibiotics and nanoplastics, have garnered significant attention due to their potential adverse effects on diverse ecosystems. Antibiotic adsorption on the surface of ...nanoplastics potentially facilitates their long-range transport, leading to the synergistic effects of the complex. This research aims to examine the adsorption behavior of clarithromycin binding with polystyrene nanoplastics surface as well as their interaction between drug adsorbed polystyrene nanoplastics with serum albumin. Different spectroscopic methods were used to find out the interaction between clarithromycin and nanoplastics, under stimulated physiological conditions UV–vis spectroscopy showed a maximum of 22.8% percentage of the drug adsorbed with the polystyrene nanoplastics surface after 6 h of incubation. The fluorescence spectroscopic results demonstrated that the fluorescence intensity of serum albumin was quenched by the clarithromycin-polystyrene nanoplastics (CLA-PSNP) complex through static quenching. We calculated the number of binding stoichiometry, binding constants, and thermodynamic parameters. This study revealed that the CLA-PSNP binds to serum albumin spontaneously and its hydrophobic interactions played a significant role. The conformational changes in the structure of serum albumin were revealed from the findings of synchronous fluorescence spectra, CD spectra, and 3D fluorescence spectra, leading to the disturbance in functional activity. This study focuses valuable insights into the intermolecular interactions between clarithromycin-adsorbed polystyrene nanoplastics and serum albumin and its potential molecular-level biological toxicity.
Display omitted
•Clarithromycin adsorbs on polystyrene nanoplastics (PSNP) in the environment.•Adsorption behavior of clarithromycin is characterized and confirmed by UV, DLS, FE-SEM, FTIR, and HRMS analysis.•Binary pollutant enters the human as well as bovine bloodstream.•CLA-PSNP (binary complex) binds with serum albumin.•CLA-PSNP causes conformational changes in the secondary structure of serum albumin.
PDF
